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"CLEARLY, THERE are more than just the ones we saw," Lexie pointed out as they walked away from the field. Now, there was only really finding the thing to make sure it didn't hurt anyone else. As much as she didn't particularly love that idea, the thought of it on the loose was far worse.
"But you're positive that was Dart?" Lucas asked, referring to the name that Dustin had given the creature when he thought it was simply a pet.
"Yes. Had the exact yellow pattern on his butt," Dustin confirmed, looking straight ahead.
"He was tiny two days ago," Max mentioned, Lexie shaking her head because she knew that he had just kept the thing in order to impress her.
"Well, he's molted three times already," he revealed, the image making Lexie cringe. In just two days, a small lizard thing had become that. If that was the smallest of their problems, she was scared to find out what else was in store.
"Malted?" Steve chimed in, confused.
"Molted," Dusting corrected, looking over at him. "Shed his skin to make room for growth like hornworms."
"When's he gonna molt again?"
"It's gotta be soon. When he does, he'll be fully grown or close to it. And so will his friends."
"You mean what we just saw there isn't fully grown?" Lexie questioned, eyes widening while she fidgeted with the flashlight in her hands.
Dustin looked over at her gravely and nodded. She started to chew her lip, the nerves she felt only multiplying. "Yeah, and he's gonna eat more than just cats," Steve said, alluding to something that they were all thinking on some level after the encounter at the bus. Lucas stepped forward and grabbed Dustin's shoulder angrily.
"Wait, a cat?" he snapped. "Dart ate a cat?"
"No," Dustin replied all too quickly. "What? No." Lexie remembered very vividly Dustin screaming about his dead cat. She exchanged a puzzled glance with Steve.
"What are you talking about? He ate Mews," he told them casually, looking between the two.
"Mews? Who's Mews?" Max asked Steve.
"Uh, Dustin's cat," Lexie replied for him, gesturing to the boy across from her. "The one that Dart ate."
"Guys!" Dustin exclaimed and Lucas pushed on his shoulder again.
"I knew you kept him!" he accused, not very happy at this fact. Lexie could only assume that they were all well aware of Dart the minute he had made it into Dustin's possession.
